This species was first observed north of Vohémar in 1974 by Dr. Ian Tattersall, provisionally identified as a variant of the Silky Sifaka (then P. diadema candidus; Tattersall 1982) and eventually described as a distinct species more than a decade later (Simons 1988).

A population reduction of ≥80% is suspected to be met in the future (over a 3-generation time period of 18-52.5 years). This is based on a predicted continuing decline in area, extent and quality of habitat due to slash-and-burn agriculture, uncontrolled grass fires, wood extraction for housing and firewood production, logging of precious hard woods, and gold mining, in addition to exploitation through unsustainable hunting pressure. Based on these premises, the species is listed as Critically Endangered.

This species has a restricted distribution, limited to forest patches in north-eastern Madagascar between the Loky River to the north and the Manambato River to the south, centering around the town of Daraina and covering approximately 245,000 ha of human-altered savanna, dry scrub, agricultural land, gallery forests and forest fragments (Mittermeier et al. 2008). It has been found in the coastal/littoral forest Analabe near L. Sahaka. It ranges from 50-700 m (Meyers and Ratsirarson 1989, Vargas et al. 2002).

Recent population density estimates range from 10-23 individuals/km² in forest and the total population is believed to be 6,000 to 10,000 animals (Vargas et al. 2002). Overall, population figures are declining due to habitat destruction and hunting.

The forests throughout this sifaka’s range are remnant tracts isolated by degraded grasslands. Within the distribution range of the species there are 75 remaining forest fragments, and Propithecus are present in 45 of these. Most are deciduous formations similar in composition to dry western Malagasy forests (Meyers and Ratsirarson 1989, Vargas et al. 2002). Groups range in size from three to 10 individuals (an average of five) and occupy territories of 9-12 ha. This species is primarily diurnal, though sometimes crepuscular during the rainy season, and sleeps at night in high emergent trees. Sexual maturity in both sexes occurs at around two and a half years. Mating occurs in late January, births in late June after a 165–176-day gestation, and weaning in December (Mittermeier et al. 2008, and references therein).

The major threats to the species are slash-and-burn agriculture, uncontrolled grass fires, wood extraction for housing and firewood production, logging of precious hardwoods, hunting and gold mining. Since 2012, mining has become a serious threat to this species, and is expected to increase significantly due to intense gold rushes that impact hugely on available habitat. Hunting from migrant gold miners also poses a significant threat. Although gold miners were not observed to hunt this animal in 1995 during a period of intense mining activity (indeed, they even fed these animals on a daily basis in their camps near Daraina), more recent information indicates that these miners may have become a problem, at least in some areas (Mittermeier et al. 2008).

This species is listed on Appendix I of CITES. P. tattersalli occurs in the Loky-Manambato Protected Area (57,000 ha), which was declared primarily for its benefit in the Daraina region in 2005. There are currently none in captivity. Research into sifaka captivity is needed to establishex situ conservation for this species.